Staff

Petra is responsible for leading the global capacity building efforts of the Network and managing implementation of the NOAA-Coral Reef Conservation Program/TNC partnership to support the efforts of coral reef managers and conservation partners in Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hawai‘i, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam to protect and sustainably manage their coral reefs. Previously, Petra worked for the State of Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) where she managed the State’s coral reef conservation strategies including the planning and implementation of marine managed areas in the Main Hawaiian Islands and the development of community-based management initiatives to enhance enforcement efforts statewide. She holds a Master’s of Marine Affairs from the University of Washington where she conducted her thesis work in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa.

Kristen develops and executes strategies, partnerships, communications, and capacity-building activities to influence policy and practice in support of marine conservation globally through the Reef Resilience Network. Her interdisciplinary environmental background is a blend of communication, policy, management, and research. Career highlights include: providing strategic support to community-based management initiatives in Hawai‘i; implementing coral reef social marketing campaigns in Hawai‘i and the Northern Mariana Islands; managing environmental programs for Friends of Virgin Islands National Park; and conducting field and lab research on projects related to coral reef health, endangered species of fish, and fisheries management. Kristen has a coastal environmental management master’s degree from Duke University. She is also a professional oil painter.

Cherie coordinates the Network developing the Toolkit, webinars, and trainings to support the efforts of coral reef managers and conservation partners in Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hawai‘i, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. Before joining the Global Ocean Team, she worked on a plan for evaluating the environmental sustainability of the organization’s small-scale aquaculture projects at the WorldFish Center in Malaysia. She also worked on assessing the risk of fisheries on coastal species in Vancouver, Canada for the Natural Capital Project. She has a Master’s degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Washington where she focused on marine resource use and community-based marine protected area management in the Philippines. 

Michelle liaises with managers, practitioners, and experts; supports the development of resources; and coordinates learning, exchange, and technical support activities for marine managers within the Reef Resilience Network. Before joining The Nature Conservancy, Michelle worked for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, where she managed education and outreach-related projects. She holds a Master of Professional Science from the University of Miami, where she focused on coral reef ecology and international ocean policy.

Annick Cros is a marine biologist with expertise in coral reef conservation. She transplanted her first coral nubbin to build reef resilience in Mombasa in 2002 and has worked on innovative approaches to coral reefs management ever since. She has a PhD from the University of Hawai’i in conservation genetics and 20 years’ international experience working on spatial planning, the design of Marine Protected Areas (MPA), MPA networks, and integrating climate change into coral reef conservation. In her time with The Nature Conservancy’s Asia Pacific Marine program from 2007-2012, Annick trained in Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation and has helped teams and communities worldwide design more efficient management strategies for conservation. In recent years, Annick has worked as a consultant, developing several courses for the Reef Resilience Network, while also lecturing at the California State University of Monterey Bay and diving in the cold waters of Monterey.

Before joining TNC Henry was the Lead for Outreach & Training for the Natural Capital Project, based out of Stanford University. In addition to his work with the Natural Capital Project, Henry spent several years working on eco-oriented properties in the American South, and also spent time teaching English as a Second Language in the States and abroad. He is passionate about making the science and methods behind conservation and resilience accessible to practitioners and the public, across language and cultural barriers. He has also worked as a musician, writer, and, most recently, as a commercial craft brewer. Henry holds a B.F.A. from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.F.A. from Florida International University.